Queen Bolete – Her Mushroom Highness

Queen Bolete is highly prized mushroom in the family Boletaceae. It’s also known as Boletus Aereus, Dark Cep or Bronze Bolete.

This mushroom is widely spread in the Mediterranean area and late summer or autumn is perfect time to go in the oak woods and try to find it. It’s a free, healthy and very tasty meal for you and your family and plus, you are spending your time on fresh air recreating and relaxing.

The body of this mushroom has a large dark brown cap. Like other boletes, Queen Bolete doesn’t have gills but sponge like pores. The pore surface is white to cream when young, but ages to a yellow. The flesh is white and thick.

Usually I’m not so lucky in my search, it’s not so easy to find them here ’cause they are pretty rare in the woods where I’m picking mushrooms. But this year we are having Queen Boletes for lunch or dinner very often and my family is very happy with this new situation.

You can mix them with scrambled eggs, make a tasty pasta sauce or risotto, fry them a little with garlic and parsley, grill them or make a delicious mushroom soup. Enjoy!